Wrap-Up
Photo of the Godiah Spray Plantation House, a reconstructed building at Historic St. Mary's City.
Essential Question:
In this lesson, you studied the history of Jamestown and St. Mary’s City, two Chesapeake colonies in the 1600s. Based on their locations, reasons for settlement, and interactions with Indigenous people, the two colonies had many similarities and differences.
Compare Jamestown and St. Mary’s City by sorting their features into the correct column. Drag each tile to show what was the same and what was different. When you are finished, check your answers to see if you are right!
In this lesson, you learned:
- How location affected the Jamestown and St. Mary’s City colonies
- How founders of the two colonies differed in their reasons for settlement
- How colonists interacted with Indigenous people in the two colonies
- How St. Mary’s City was able to learn from the challenges of the Jamestown settlement
The stories of Jamestown and St. Mary’s City show how awareness of history can help people make important choices. However, the Maryland colony was not perfect. Like Jamestown, St. Mary’s City brought enslaved people to grow tobacco and do other work. Both came to depend on enslaved labor to build their economy. And the cooperation with Indigenous people in Maryland did not last as the colony grew and spread more into their land.
History is complicated, but important to learn so we can continue to do better. Share something surprising or interesting you learned about early Maryland and Virginia with a partner or family member. Keep asking questions!
